Walk with Me on 1-1-11

I read today on a favorite blog of mine, Serenity in the Garden, all about the Number One, and the significance of the date today–1-1-2011. She talked about how numerologists, astrologers and folks like to link the Number 11 to mystics and psychics. So was this just a coincidence that this was the First photo I took on our hike today, on 1-1-11? My husband and I walk up the hill from town to our home for exercise pretty regularly (about 1,000 feet elevation). Today, of all days, I brought my camera just for fun to document some of my favorite sights. To spare you, I will post this little hike in three separate posts. This is the First post:

This is the view–of Main Beach, with Hotel Laguna on the left, the iconic (barely visible) lifeguard tower in the center and Bird Rock at low tide on the right–from an empty lot about a quarter of the way up. The neighborhood is know as Mystic Hills.

I know these succulents “walls” are everywhere you turn these days, but I still can’t get enough of them. My husband, an engineer, is helping me scheme a DIY for one of our outside walls. Anyone have any suggestions? I didn’t want to pay $100 for a 2×2 frame from Flora Grubb, although I love her ideas!!

This is the modern fence around a modern home about halfway up with modern professional landscaping around it. Sadly, the owners aren’t the types who would be outside tending their garden and you could chat with them about all their cool plants. (In fact, I’ve never seen a person–ever. They just might be Unhappy Hipsters.)

Our progressive little city commissioned a local artist to draw up this important message reminding residents and visitors that everything that runs down the storm drains dumps directly into the ocean. These little glued-down signs are now on most of our city drains.

I know I should know the name of these popular succulents, but more important is that they are blasting out these gorgeous yellow bouquets all over the place right now. If you have an ID to share, please do!

Isn’t there one in every neighborhood, topiary a la poodle? I totally dig them! This one is adjacent to the Unhappy Hipsters home. Do you think they appreciate it? I will continue our little walk in the next post…

2 Responses to Walk with Me on 1-1-11

Nice landscape textures…so nice to combine exercise w/ garden watching. It is also cool to see your area can grow SW plants as well as us – duh, the only place more SW than you is Point Loma or Honolulu. And jealous of your bougainvillea, etc we can't grow.

Nice landscape textures…so nice to combine exercise w/ garden watching. It is also cool to see your area can grow SW plants as well as us – duh, the only place more SW than you is Point Loma or Honolulu. And jealous of your bougainvillea, etc we can't grow.